Feeding machine for rolling mills



FEEDING MACHINE Fon ROLLINGMILLS Filed Feb; 14, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 jEe. 2 l la' f ze 11 14 1 voli ,G4 138 we .P l 49 61 0 12a 1a 57 l "51.2.a la 1 17 7 J5 ai: 3 o v A29 4a fil/,o 80 I Qo\\\ 6- 85 14 n 24 87 OG 6 `I2 Il l I l z5 i 1z0 me j 122 @M5 1 ,uz a J 1211;, 108 111 119 112m \'\\\\\."'Z I .-.A- gg /lfa'l'm I James B. Jluzdon 116 V 11a ze.@28136 f m, www

May .26, l1942.

J. B. .loHNsoN 2,284,575

FEEDING MACHINE Fon ROLLING.4 MILLS Filed Feb. 14, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2if 6 131 j o 131e ne .sa 61 mmf-IIN!!! 60 .lames B. Johnson Patented May26, 1942 l a FEEDING MACHINE FOR ROLLING MILLS James B. Johnson,Cleveland, Ohio, assignor to Mary Anitta Johnson, Cleveland, OhioApplication February 14, 1939, Serial No. 256,297

13 Claims.

This invention relates to article feeding apparatus and is particularlyadapted to feeding articles to other mechanisms whi-ch perform variousoperations upon them, such, for instance, as

to feeding blanks or billets to rolling mills or` the like.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved feeding apparatuswhich is capable of gripping, holding, and feeding articles into aplurality of Working mechanisms successively.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved feedingapparatus in which the articles may be presented in a differentrelationship to the successive operating mechanisms.

Another object is to provide an improved feedf ing apparatus which maybe readily arranged to vary the conditions of the articles being handledthereby.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved feedingapparatus which may be automatically actuated.

Another object is to provide an improved feeding apparatus which will becompact in arrangement.

Another object of the invention is to providef an improved feedingapparatus which will be positive in action.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved feedingapparatus which will be speedy in operation.

Other objects will hereinafter appear.

The invention will be better understood from the description of onepractical embodiment thereof, illustrated in the accompanying drawings,in which, for illustrative purposes a pluriage is operated;

Fig. 4 is a partially elevational and partially sectional view of thefeeding mechanism at its loading station;

Fig. 5 is a View similar to Fig. 4, but taken at the first operating orrolling mill station, and showing the carriage at its outermostposition;

Fig. 6 is a plan view of Fig. 4, the turn-table being omitted,

Fig. 7 is a front elevation of the cam-ring for controlling the movementof the push-pins of the turn-table,

Fig. 8 is a view of the locking pawl for the rack-bar,

Fig. 9 illustratesthe means for releasing the locking pawl,

Fig. 10 is a longitudinal section view of the carriage,

Fig. 11 is a front end View of the head of the carriage,

Fig. 12 is a side view of the carriage sleeve,

Fig. 13 an elevation of the cam for imparting a partial rotation to thecarriage head,

Fig. 14 is an end view of the same, and

Fig. 15 is a plan view thereof.

Referring to the drawings, the feeding machine illustrating theinvention consists of a spider like base I having a center 2 and aplurality of radially extending and equally spaced arms or runnersindicated by 3. Fixed in the center 2 of the base is a vertical shaft 4,on which is rotatably mounted a sleeve 5. A suitable ballbearing unit 6on the shaft 4 supports the sleeve 5 upon the center 2 of the base.Loosely mounted on the shaft 4 but fixed to the upper end of the sleeve5 as indicated by screws 1 and therefore rotatable with said sleeve is apush-member or actuator 8 having four radially extending arms asindicated by 9. On the shaft 4 and resting upon the push-member 8 is aball-bearing unit II) for supporting a circular turn-table II.

Arranged around the turn-table I I and bolted as at I2 to several of thesuccessive runners 3 of the base are a plurality of rolling mills, eachindicated as a whole by I3, I4 and I5. Also arranged around theturn-table and bolted to the next preceding and succeeding runners towhich the rolling mills are secured, is a carriage operating unit I6 forloading and a similar carriage operating unit I1 for unloading. Therolling mills I3, I4 and I5 are of the back rolling type of ordinaryconstruction, consisting of a pair of housings I8 and I9, in which aresupported the segment rolls 20 and 2| having central coacting passgrooves 22 and 23, and driven by gears 24 and 25, to which power isapplied.

The turn-table II is provided with equally spaced radially extendingguide slots indicated by 26 and corresponding in vertical alignment withthe pass grooves of the rolls of the mills. Carriages 21 havinglongitudinally extending bases 28 are slidably mounted in the guideslots 26 of the turn-table Il and are supported thereon by rollers 29While retaining rollers 30 engage the underside thereof. The carriages2l are for the purpose of carrying the billets to and into and out ofthe rolling mills for the successive operations thereon. For rotatingthe turntable il in a step-by-step movement and thereby moving thecarriages 2l in the same manner to a position opposite each mill insuccession, the following described mechanism is provided.

The rolls 2G and 2| of the mills may be driven from any source of powerapplied to the gears 24 and 25. Supported by the housings I8 and i9 ofeach mill I3, I4 and l5 below the rolls thereof is a cross-shaft 3i, toone outer end of which is fixed a gear 32 meshing with the roll gear 25and the other outer end thereof a heavy fly-wheel 33. An electric motor34, preferably fixed to the top of one of the mills, for instance i3,drives the iiy-wheel 33 by means of a belt 35. Keyed to the center ofthe cross-shaft 3i is a worm-wheel 36, which drives a worm 31 of aradially extending main power shaft 38 supported in bearings 39 and 4K1bolted to the runner 3 of the base. Fixed to the inner end of the shaft38 is a bevel gear pinion 4i, which drives a large central bevel gear42, which is adjustably xed to the .sleeve 5 by means of a set-screw 43.Each of the other mills i4 and i5 are driven from the central bevel gear42 by a radially extending shaft 44, a bevel gear pinion at its innerend, a worm fixed to said shaft driving a worm-wheel of a cross-shafthaving a ily-wheel at one end and a gear at the other, all as justdescribed for the first mill. Both the carriage operating unit i6 forloading and the carriage operating unit il for unloading are also drivenfrom the central bevel gear 42 and have similar housings to those of themills, but lower as indicated at 45, for supporting a cross-shaft 46, towhich is fixed at its Center a Worm-wheel 4l. Said worm-Wheel is drivenby a worm 48 fixed to a radially extending shaft 49 supported inbearings 5d and 5| secured to the runners of the base and having atitsinner end a bevel pinion 52 in mesh with the bevel gear 42. Theperiphery of the turn-table may be supported by rollers as at 53 carriedby the housings of the mills, or the carriage operating units, or fromthe runners of the base.

Continuous rotation of the central bevel gear 42' and the sleeve 5causes step-by-step rotary movement of the turn-table il by an arm 9 ofthe push-member 8 carried by said sleeve engaging push-pins A54 whichdepend from the turn-table and are arranged in the arc of a circle. Thepush-pins 54 are pivoted at 55 to lugs 5t of the turn-table so as toswing radially out of the path of the arms 9 of the push-member 8 but berigid and afford resistance in the rotary direction thereby causingrotation of the turn-table by said push-member. The push-pins 54 arearranged with their centers, indicated by 5l, between each radial slot26 of the turn-table il and normally hang vertically. As the turn-tablerotates,. the push-pins 54 are adapted to be swung upwardly andoutwardly by engaging the inclined upper edge 53 of an inturned end 59of a cam-ring 6i) and continuing on the upper edge 6l thereof until itsabrupt ending at 62, when the push-pins return to their normal dependingpositions to be again acted upon by the next arm of the pushmember 8. Aninturned end 63 of the cam-ring 60' is adapted to serve as a stopagainst backward rotation of the turn-table.

The carriages 27 are moved outwardly upon the turn-table i I to feed thebillets into the mills and then returned to their original positions bythe following described mechanism. Depending from the bottom of the base23 of each carriage 2 is a stub-pin 64, which is adapted to travel inthe space or recess 65 formed by two concentric rings 66 and 6l arrangedaround the cam-ring 69. The rings 66 and 61 are divided radially intoequal sections as indicated by 6B, so that their radial centers are inalignment with the vertical centers of the mills i3, i4, l5 and thecarriage operating units i6 and I'i. Each section of the rings 65 and S1are held in spaced relation by a pair of straps as at 6d, which arefixed at 'lil to an inverted yoke 'il having depending sides i2 and T3.The yoke ll is supported by rollers at 74 carried by the inner faces ofthe sides thereof and engaging the upper and lower sides of a pair oftracks 'i5 and '#6, which are xed at one end in the housings of themills and the carriage operating units, while their other ends terminatein legs as at 'H which are fastened to the runners 3 of the base. One ormore of the sections 68 may, if desired, be supported in stationaryposition by legs 'it attached to the arms 3 of the base.

To one of the sides as l2 of each yoke 'H is pivoted as at 79, the inneroffset end of a rack-bar 0, the free outer end of which rests upon asuitable cam Si xed to theoutside of a gear-wheel 32 carried by astub-shaft 83 extending from the side of the housing of the mill orcarriage operating unit and in mesh with the gear 32. The cam 8i isadapted to alternately raise the free outer end of the rack-bar 8E) tocause its teeth S4 to engage the gear 32 and then to permit same to fallsumciently that its teeth will clear said gear. A iiat spring enclosedin a circular casing Se, which is secured to a bracket 37 fastened tothe runner 3, is connected to the outer end of the rack-bar 8d and tendsto exert a pulling action thereon. When the teeth 84 of the rack-bar 8dare out of engagement with the gear 32, the spring 85 forces saidrack-bar outwardly and moves the yoke 7l, the section of rings 63,

and consequently the carriage 2 in the same direction, and when theteeth of said rack-bar engages said gear, said rack-bar is forcedinwardly by the action of said gear7 thereby moving the carriage in thatdirection. A stop $8 adjustable on the track 'i5 limits the outwardmovement of the yoke TH and the carriage 2'?.

For the purpose of holding the rackbar G in its inner position and thecarriage in the same position, a locking pawl 8d is pivoted at 96 to abracket 9i secured at 92 to the base of the housing of the mill andrests upon and is adapted to engage the teeth 34 of said rack-bar. Inorder to lift the locking pawl 89 out of engagement with the teeth Btiof the rack-bar to permit the spring 35 to act thereon to move thecarriage 2l outwardly at the proper time, the following means isemployed. On a vertical rod 93 iixed in a boss 94 of the housing isslidably mounted a tube having a bottom iiange 96. A headili isadjustably fixed to the tube 95 by means of a set-screw 93 and has alateral nger 99 which passes loosely through an opening Ii of a lug liliof the locking pawl 89. The tube 95 is lifted and consequently thelocking pawl 39 by means of a lever m2, which is pivoted at m3 to thebase of the housing, The lever lill." is adapted to be actuated by asuitable cam Hifi, which is fixed to the radial shaft for engaging itsinner free end while its outer forked end passes under the ange 96 ofthe tube 95.

The carriages 21 are adapted to automatically grab and grip the billetsand also partially rotate same for each pass through the rolls, and themechanism for accomplishing same will now be described. The base 28 ofeach carriage supports a pair of spaced aligning end bearings |06 and|01, in which is rotatably and slidably mounted a longitudinallyextending shaft |08 having at its inner end a hub |09 carrying radialarms H0. The outer end portion of the shaft |08 is fixed to alongitudinal head III slidably in a sleeve H2 and having an innerreduced end H3 rotatably and slidably supporting said head in thebearing |06. The shaft |08 and the head III thereof are slidable in thesleeve H2 and said shaft is rotatable with said sleeve by means of apair of longitudinal slots as II'4 in said sleeve, in which pins H5fixed in the head III slide. Clamping jaws IIB are fixed to the outerprojecting ends of right angle lever-arms H1 pivoted at H8 in recessesH9 of the head III while the other ends thereof extend through oppositetransverse slots of the sleeve |I'2 leading from the slots H4 thereof,whereby said clamping jaws are opened by the outward movement of theshaft |08 and closed by the inward movement thereof. A nut I2I fixed tothe reduced end H3 of the head III retains said head in the bearing |05.For locking the shaft |08 in its outer or inner positions, a lever |22pivoted at |23 to a bracket |24 is fixed to the base 28 of the carriage2l, the lower forked end |25 of which engages shoulders of said shaft at|26, and a tension spring |21 extends from said bracket to the upper endof said lever. As the carriages 21 travel outwardly, the arms H0 of theshaft |38 are adapted to engage the upper edge of an inclined bar |28and the forward and longitudinal edges at |29 of a cam |30 fixed by abracket I3I to the top of the turn-table H, thereby giving said shaftand the billet carried by the head thereof a quarter turn before eachpass of the billet through the rolls. The bar |28 is pivoted at |32 tothe cam |30 and has a lug |33 for engaging same at |34, therebypermitting said bar to be lifted out of the path of the arms H0 of theshaft |08 upon the return movement of the carriage 21 and retained inproper down position when serving as a cam.

Any suitable means may be provided for supporting or holding the billetsin proper position to be grabbed by the clamping jaws I'IG of thecarriages 21 as they are moved outwardly by the operating unit I5. Forinstance, a platform |35 supported in any suitable manner, and having anouter closed end |38 serving as a stop against longitudinal movement ofthe billets and therefore causing the clamping jaws H6 to close forgripping the billets due to the pressure against the head III from theoutward movement of the carriage 21. The billets are therefore grabbedand held by the carriages 21, partially rotated before each pass throughthe rolls, and after the pass through the last mill, said carriages aremoved outwardly at the operating unit I1 and just prior to the end ofsaid movement, the locking lever |22 of the carriage strikes the freeend |31 of an arm member |38, which is fixed to the housing of said unitI1 at |39, thereby causing forward or outward movement of the shaft |08of the carriage and opening the clamping jaws IIB for releasing thefinished product.

Operation-Assuming that the heated billets designated by |40 and fromwhich axles are to be rolled are in place to be grabbed by the carriages21, that the carriages are held by the pawls 89 at their innerpositions, that the clamping jaws H6 are open, that the stops 88 havebeen set at proper positions, and that the motor 34 has been started,the belt 35 will drive the cross-shaft 3| of 'the mill I3 by therebytransmitting power through the gear 32 for turning the rolls of saidmill. At the same time, the worm-wheel 36 of the cross-shaft 3|transmits power through the worm 31 to the radial shaft 38, which turnsclockwise and therefore drives the central bevel gear 42, the sleeve 5and the push-member 0 counter-clockwise. When one of the arms 9 of thepush-member 8 engages the depending pin of the pins 54 carried by theturntable II, said push-member exerts pressure against said dependingpin and thereby causes the turn-table to rotate one-eighth of arevolution to its next position. Upon said depending pin striking theinclined edge 58 of the cam-ring E0, it rides onto the upper edgethereof out of engagement with the arms of the push-member and permitssame to pass thereunder, while the next following pin leaves the upperedge of said camring and becomes the depending pin at the end 52 of saidcam-ring. While the turn-table II is moving one step, the carriages 21are moving the same distance and the depending stub-pins or trunnions 64thereof travel in the space 65 to the radial centers of the next ringsections. At the completion of each step-by-step movement of theturn-table, the cams |04 of the radial shafts 38 and 49 actuate thelevers |02 thereby lifting the rods 93 and the pawls 89 and release therackbars 80, which being under the tension of the springs 85 are movedoutwardly, thereby moving the ring-sections 88 outwardly to the stops 88and the carriages 21 opposite the operating units I5 and I1 and themills I3, I4 and I5 to their proper outward positions. As the carriageopposite the operating unit I6 comes to the end of its outward movement,its clamping jaws IIB receive'the end of the billet |40 to be carried tothe several rolling mills, and due to the pushing pressure of the headIII thereagainst actuating the lever-arms H1, said clamping jaws gripsaid billet. At the same time, the cams 8| press the rack-bars intoengagement with the gears 32, which force said rack-bars inwardly,thereby returning the carriages opposite the operating units IE and I1and mills I3, I4 and I5 to their original positions, the pawls 89 againlocking said rack-bars and therefore said carriages against outwardmovement. The turntable II is now moved to its next position by the nextarm 9 of the push-member 8 pressing against the next following dependingpin of the pins 54, thus moving the carriages 21 another step, and thedescribed operations are repeated. While the carriages 21 are movingoutwardly towards each mill, one of the arms I I0 of the shafts |08thereof by striking the upper edge of the inclined bars |28 and ridingup same and engaging the forward and longitudinal edge |29 of the cams|30 give said shafts and the heads I I I thereof a quarter turn andconsequently the billets carried by said heads the same turningmovements before each pass through the rolls 20 and 2| of the mills. Asthe carriages 21 move inwardly, the arms H0 lift up the inclined bars|28 and no rotary movements is imparted to the billets. After thecarriages 21 move beyond the last mill still gripping the finishedbillets, said carriages are moved outwardly by the operating unit andjust prior to the end of said movements, the locking levers |22 of thecarriages strike the free end |31 of the arm member |38, therebyimparting outward movements to the shafts |68 of the carriages andopening the clamping jaws HE for releasing the finished billets. Afterthe carriages release the finished billets, they move inwardly, and asthe stub-pins or trunnions S thereof move in the space 65 of the ringsections 63 by the step-by-step movement of the turn-table, saidcarriages with their clamping jaws open come again opposite theoperating unit I@ for the grabbing of new billets, and all operationsdescribed are repeated.

From the drawings and description, it is seen that this machine willautomatically grab and feed billets into successive rolling mills; willgive the billets a partial turn before each pass; and will automaticallydischarge the finished product. Also that the timing of the step-bysteprotary movement of the turn-table may be adjustably set and consequentlythat movement of the carriages and the outward travel of the carriagesadjustably limited for the feeding of the billets into each mill theproper distance according to the particular product being rolled.

While I have described the illustrated embodiment of my invention insome particularity, ob-

viously many others will readily occur to those skilled in this art, andI do not, therefore, limit myself to the precise details shown anddescribed, but claim as my invention all embodiments, Variations, andmodifications thereof corning within the scope of the appended claims,

lia-ving fully described my invention, what I claim is:

l. In a feeding machine for rolling mills, the combination of aturn-table, the turn-table having a plurality lof radial-extendingslots, a carriage sldably supported in each of said slots, saidcarriages having means adapted to grip a billet, a plurality of rollingmills arranged around said turn-table, means for rotating said turntablein a step-by-step movement to bring said carriages opposite successivemills, each of said carriages having a depending trunnion, a ring, thering having a space for accommodating the travel of said trunnions, saidring being divided into sections for each of said mills, said sectionsbeing movable radially, means for moving said sections outwardly to movesaid carriages in the same direction at each stopping of said carriagesopposite said mills, means for moving said sections in the oppositedirection to move said carriages in the same direction to their originalpositions, means for locking said sections and said carriages in theiroriginal positions during said rotary movement of said turn-table, andmeans for releasing said locking means after each said rotary movementof said turn-table and carriages.

2. In a feeding machine for rolling mills, the combination of aturn-table, the turn-table having a plurality of radially extendingslots, a carriage sldably supported in each of said slots, saidcarriages having means adapted to grip a billet, a plurality of rollingmills arranged around said turn-table, means for rotating said turntableto move said carriages step-by-step opposite said mills, each of saidcarriages having a depending trunnion, ring sections, the ring sectionshaving spaces for the travel of said trunnions therein, said ringsections being supported for radial movement, means for locking saidring sections in their inner positions, means for releasing said lookingmeans at the end of said rotary movement of said turn-table, means formoving said ring sections to their outer positions upon being released,means for moving said ring sections to their inner positions after saidouter movement thereof and before the next said rotary movement of saidturn-table, means for causing said carriages to grip a billet beforemoving to its position opposite the rst mill, and means for causing saidcarriage to release the billet after moving from its position oppositethe last mill.

3. In a `feeding machine for rolling mills, the combination of aturn-table, a post, a sleeve rotatable on the post, the turn-table beingrotatably mounted on said post and supported by said sleeve, a pluralityof rolling mills arranged adjacent the periphery of said turn-table,means for rotating said sleeve, means for causing stepby-step movementof said turn-table from the rotation of said sleeve, said turn-tablehaving a plurality of radially eatendingrslots adapted to register withthe vertical centers of said mills, a carriage sldably supported in eachof said slots, said carriages having means adapted to grip a billet,means for moving said carriages outwardly at the end of eachstep-by-step movement of said turn-table, means for moving saidcarriages inwardly after their outward movements, means for causing saidcarriages to grip a billet before its outward movement when opposite thefirst mill, means for causing said carriage to give a partial turn tothe billet in its grip on the out- Ward movement when opposite saidmills, and means for causing said carriages to release the billetgripped thereby after the inward movement thereof when opposite the lastmill.

4. In a feeding machine for rolling mills, the combination of a post, asleeve rotatable on the post, a turn-table, the turn-table beingrotatably Vmounted on the post and supported by said sleeve,

a plurality of rolling mills arranged adjacent the periphery of saidturn-table, means for transmitting rotary motion to said sleeve from oneof said mills, carriages adapted to grip a billet, the carriages beingof greater number than said mills and movable radially on saidturn-table for feeding the billets in their grip to said mills, meansfor moving said carriages outwardly, means for moving said carriagesinwardly, and means for causing a stop-and-start movement of saidturn-table for moving said carriages successively opposite said millswhen said carriages are in their inner radial positions from said rotarymovement of said sleeve,

5. In a feeding machine for rolling mills, the combination of aturn-table, a plurality of rolling mills arranged adjacent the peripheryof the turn-table, carriages adapted to grip a billet, the carriagesbeing sldably supported by said turntable and adapted to move radiallythereon, means for moving said carriages outwardly, means for movingsaid carriages inwardly, a post,

a sleeve rotatably mounted on the post, a pushmember fixed to saidsleeve, pins arranged in spaced relation on the arc of a circle andpivotally connected to saidturn-table and adapted to be engaged by saidpush-member for moving said turn-table, and a cam-ring for causing saidpins to be engaged successively by said pushmember for impartingstep-by-step movement to said turn-table to move said carriages oppositesaid mills.

6. In a feeding machine for rolling mills, the combination of a post, asleeve rotatable on the post, a turn-table rotatably mounted on saidpost and supported by said sleeve, a plurality of carriages radiallyslidable on said turn-table, a plurality of rolling mills arrangedadjacent the periphery of said turn-table, means for transmitting rotarymovement to said sleeve from the operating power of one of said mills,means for operating said other mills from the rotating movement of saidsleeve, means for rotating said turn-table step-by-stcp from therotating movement of said sleeve to move said carriages opposite saidmills, said carriages having means adapted to grip a billet, means formoving said carriages towards said mills, means for moving saidcarriages away from said mills, means for locking said carriages priorto each step-by-step movement of said turn-table, and means foractuating said locking means for releasing said carriages at the end ofeach step-by-step movement of said turntable.

7. In a feeding machine for rolling mills, the combination of a post, asleeve rotatable on the post, a turn-table rotatably mounted on saidpost and supported by said sleeve, the turn-table having a plurality ofradially extending slots, carriages adapted to grip a billet slidablysupported in said slots, a plurality of rolling mills arranged adjacentthe periphery of said turntable, means for transmitting rotary movementto said sleeve from the operating power of one of said mills, means forrotating said turn-table step-by-step from the rotating movement of saidsleeve to move said carriages opposite said mills, means for operatingsaid other mills from the rotating movement of said sleeve, each of saidcarriages having a depending trunnion, ring sections, the ring sectionshaving spaces for the travel of said trunnions therein upon movement ofsaid turn-table, said ring sections being supported for radial movement,means for locking said ring sections in their inner positions prior toeach movement of said turn-table, spring means tending to force saidsections outwardly, means for releasing said locking means at the end ofeach movement of said turn-table, to permit outward movement of saidsections, means for returning said ring sections to their innerpositions, means for causing said carriages to give the billet in theirgrip a partial turn on their outward movements, and means for causingsaid carriages to release their grip upon the billet at the end of thenext outward movement after the last mill.

8. An article feeding mechanism arranged to feed articles successivelyto a plurality of separate operating units, which comprises aSubstantially horizontal support rotatable about a vertical axis,article gripping means above said support, driving mechanism arranged tomove the gripping means toward and from an edge of said support, andindexing means moving said gripping means horizontally, the grippingmeans by its motion toward and from the edge of said support causing thearticles to approach and recede from the successive separate operatingunits.

9. An article feeding mechanism comprising a support having asubstantially horizontal plane surface and rotatable about a verticalaxis, an article feeding mechanism comprising a shaft carried above saidsurface and capable of translation in the direction of the shaft axisand of rotation about said axis, article gripping means carried by saidshaft, feed means arranged to reciprocate the shaft in the direction ofits axis, rotating means arranged to rotate the shaft about its axis,and indexing means moving the axis of the shaft in a plane parallel tothe surface of the support.

10. An article feeding mechanism comprising a turn-table support havinga substantially horizontal flat vsurface and rotatable about a verticalaxis, an article feeding mechanism comprising a shaft carried above saidsurface and capable of translation in the direction of the shaft axisand of rotation about said axis, article gripping means carried by saidshaft, feed means arranged to reciprocate the shaft in the direction ofits axis, rotating means arranged to rotate the shaft about its axis,and indexing means moving the axis of the shaft in a plane parallel tothe surface of the support.

11. An article feeding mechanism comprising a turntable having asubstantially horizontal plane surface and rotatable about a verticalaxis, an article feeding mechanism comprising a shaft carried above saidsurface, and capable of translation in the direction of the shaft axisand of rotation about said axis, article gripping means carried by saidshaft, feed means arranged to reciprocate the shaft in the direction ofits axis, rotating means arranged to rotate the shaft about its axis,and means rotating the turn table about its axis.

12. An article feeding mechanism comprising a turntable support having asubstantially horizontal flat surface and rotatable about a verticalaxis, an article feeding mechanism comprising a shaft carried above saidsurface substantially radially disposed with respect to said turntable,feed means for moving the shaftI toward the periphery of the table andfor returning it toward the axis thereof, a plurality of movable jawscarried by the outer end of the shaft, and a snap action mechanismconnected to said jaws and arranged to open and close them at theoutermost position of the shaft.

13. In combination, a substantially horizontal turntable upon whicharticles to be worked may be received, a loading platform unit adjacentthe turn-table from which articles may be moved in a generally radialdirection to said turn-table, a plurality of Working units radiallyarranged with respect to the turn-table, an unloading platform unit alsoradially positioned with respect to the turn-table, and feed means formoving articles to and from the turn-table, and indexing ineans movingthe turn-table to deliver articles successively to the respective units.

JAMES B. JOHNSON.

